


Their Touches

by snowzone5



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake Bad Stuff About Jane, Martial Arts, Mileven, Name Calling During Training, Soulmates, Swearing During Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2020-10-27 15:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20762531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowzone5/pseuds/snowzone5
Summary: She is Jane Ives, rising superstar in front of the camera. El Hopper is a shy lonely girl as soon as she is off set. Jane needs training. Eleven needs love. Enter Mike Wheeler martial arts trainer to the stars. They train. They clash. The touch. They learn about each other during their training.





	1. Rude Awakenings

**Author's Note:**

> I can hear the whining, but I need to start another story. If I can't jump around, updates are slower on all of them. :)
> 
> This one has obvious references to MBB and her career when the story refers to Jane Ives and where appropriate. I make a lot of stuff up that's not true. When she is in Eleven "mode" well, she's Eleven. 
> 
> Don't start asking me, "where did you see/hear that?" I'm making it up.

**** “Can you you get me a trainer? Yes or no?” The tone of her voice left little room for argument.

They knew her as Jane Ives, her stage name.

She was 15 and an up and coming rising star. She had been in at least one wildly successful TV series, a few commercials, and moderately successful big budget Hollywood special effects movie, a few music videos and now had a budding modelling career. She was talented, pretty, and a genuinely nice person.

Most of the time.

She now had the role of a lifetime, the chance to star in her own movie. And really act. For at least right now this was exactly what she wanted.

It was required that she learned what the director had called a  _ graceful _ martial art. To be fair, he said it wasn’t  _ required _ but it would definitely be noticeable in the final product. 

The director said that she didn’t have to, she could be choreographed through it, but she wanted to learn it. The fringe benefit would be that she could actually defend herself if the situation arose.

“I know I’m going to whine through the whole thing. I’ve done intensive training before. Make me stick with it ok? Whatever you have to do or say to make me stick with it?

“You sure?”

This time her look left little room for argument.

No room, actually.

  
  


XXXXX

Eleven was startled awake. She’d always been startled by loud noises and it was always much worse if she’d been sleeping. She was scared.

“Miss Ives?” E frowned. It was a boy’s voice. A boy her age.

Production crew were not allowed near her trailer. She needed her downtime. She was a afraid that maybe something awful had happened to her bodyguard.

“I’m entering in three seconds.”

Right on cue, the door opened and let in a blast of cool autumn air.

She drew her blankets up to her chest. “I’ll scream!” She threatened.

“Wouldn’t you rather just kick the shit out of me?” He smiled at her.

He was cute.

Scratch that. He was gorgeous, full lips, dark gentle eyes, a wild mess of hair that framed his pale, freckled face. 

“You want to tell me what you are doing in my trailer at…,” she glanced at her alarm clock.

“Holy shit! At  _ five am _ ?”

“You wanted a trainer, here I am.”

“I wanted a trainer, not another alarm clock.”

“For the next nine or ten months you will be getting up just before dawn, and going to bed just after sunset.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“I’ll remind you that this is at your request.”

“Again, we’ll see about that.”

“Fine by me. Send me home. I get paid either way. And you don’t get any training. Not by me. Maybe someone else will put up with you but I won’t have to. I’ll just say you whined and refused, pick up my cheque and be on my way.”

“You are a real bastard you know that?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment right now. I’ve been called much worse. In a few days  _ you _ will call me much worse.”

“Fine,” she threw up her arms, “Let me get dressed.”

“No.”

“What? What do you mean  _ no. _ ”

“I’m sorry, did I stutter?” And then, obviously sarcastically as he could, he said slowly, “NNNNoooooo.”

“You expect me to go out there in my pajamas?”

“I expect you to let me train you. Martial arts isn’t just some fancy moves that may hurt someone, or even yourself if you do them wrong. It’s a way of thinking, a way of life if you want to get really into it. Would you feel better if I got into my own jammies?”

“Yes.” She smirked at him.

“Ok.” He pulled out a pair.

“Are you going to let me change in here or do I have to go outside?”

“Outside.”

“Outside it is.” He sighed, he turned to the trailer door to leave.

“Where are you going?” El said.

“Uh, I’m going to change into these.” He held up his pj’s

El sighed herself, “You don’t need to change if I can get dressed.”

“No.”

“Your serious?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Change outside.” That would serve him right. Gorgeous or not, she would show him she was not to be trifled with. She’d be  _ difficult _ as the Hollywood press was fond of saying.

About a minute later there was a knock on the door. “Entering in three seconds.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. He was in his pajamas! He must have gotten completely naked out in the cool morning air. 

“Was it cold outside?” She smirked at him again.

“Not my first rodeo. I’m used to it.”

Well, good. He had just gotten to do it again.  _ Serves him right.  _ She thought. She couldn’t help notice how well muscled he was, not a steriod rage type of muscled, but, oh, maybe nice to run your hands over his abs type of muscles. It was even more accentuated when he was just in a pair of pj’s. 

A lot more so.

“Ok, I need to ask you a question.” He said, suddenly all serious.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“It’s a personal space issue, so I always ask a new client. Are you ok if I touch your face. Specifically right between your eyes. Maybe a little higher on your forehead, it can change a little during training. But it will be with my index finger.”

“Will I be touching  _ your _ face?” She said. She tried to be a little sarcastic, but the thought of actually doing it gave her a little thrill.

“If I train you well enough… yes.”

“Show me,” she said.

He touched the bridge of her nose. Gently. The sense of electricity travelled from his fingertip to the rest of her body, in slow pleasing waves. What the hell was  _ that _ about?

“That’s it. That and the next few won’t count.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every time I touch you like that, we train harder for an hour.”

“What if I touch you?” She asked curious

“We take off an earlier. Seem fair?”

“It is. I’m sorry I made you change and outside even.”

“Like I said, not my first rodeo.”

“What’s your name?” She said.

“Mike Wheeler. We are the same age, I only train girls your age. I am told I'm good at it.” He started ticking off on his fingers. “I’ve had no failures. And I’ve never hit on the girls I train.”

Damn. El thought. She thought she could really go for this guy, if he even hinted at interest. But he was going to be professional. Probably too professional.

“Seem fair?” He asked again.

“I get the feeling you are going to be nothing but fair to me. Am I right?” She said, for the first time her shyness showed itself. She was never shy in front of a camera or cell phone, but this was different.

The smile he gave her also thrilled her with its electricity, not as much as the touch, but not that far off.

“It takes some girls three or four days before they say something like that and meant it.”

“But I still don’t get to change?”

“I didn’t get into my jammies for nothing. Are you ready to go?”

“Ok, let me get something on my feet.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Fine. Anything else I should know, any surprises.”

“Um, yeah. Part of the training is going to require me to distract you.”

“Distract me how? Exactly.”

“Swear at you, call you names, some other other things. But I don’t touch you other than the face.”

“What happens if I get distracted?”

“You will lose concentration, I’ll be able to touch your face.”

“...and that means an hour of harder training.”

He smiled at her again, it made her knees rubbery. “You are a fast learner, Miss Ives.”

“You have been honest with me. Call me Jane, Ok.”

“Jane it is. Ok, you’ve seen the hill backing the studio lot? Just behind this trailer too I think.” 

She nodded. “It’s why I wanted my trailer here. Trying to convince the crew to do Tai Chi, with me. They want me to lead it, but I’m not very good at it.”

Mike shrugged, “I could lead you and the crew, at sunset, it’s the perfect time.”

“That might help me relax after training?”

“It definitely would. If there are no takers, I can still lead you threw it. Think of it as bonus training or something.”

“Uh, what If I’ve touched your face a few times and we ended an hour early, or a few hours early?”

“Fair question, if that happens, we’ll just go out there before sunset. We don’t have to stay until it happens.”

“Ok Mike Wheeler. Train me.”

“I will do that. If you are serious about learning I can promise you that you won’t regret it. You aren’t going to think that in the next half hour or so, but I can still promise.”

El laughed. “Don’t make any promises to me you can’t keep Mr. Wheeler.” She tried on mock sternness for a look.

“Any promise I make to you Jane.  _ Any _ promise. I will keep. Promise.”

She smiled at him. It was a real smile, she didn’t have to fake act her face into it. She  _ wanted _ to smile at him.

He responded by smiling back. The smile touched her soul.

That’s when the butterflies started. 

  
  



	2. The First Touch

**** Mike saw that Jane was shivering as they walked. From the knapsack he was carrying, he pulled out a long sweater, Jane’s size, and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” She said.  “Wait a minute, I thought I wasn’t allowed to change?”

“You weren’t, but I’m not heartless, I see a girl shivering, I offer my jacket or sweater.”

He didn’t see Jane look down and smile as she put on the sweater.

“I don’t need to tell you that the Paparazzi are taking photos us right now. Do I?”

“Welcome to my life.” She said sounded bored.

“You have to watch what you do while we are out here. I have a sound jammer thing I turn on so they can’t hear what we say if they use a dish microphone. But I can't stop them from taking photos from far away.”

They stood at the top of the hill at the back lot, they would see the sunrise when it came up. 

“First of all, I want to apologize to you. Today I may say some nasty things to you. Please know that I don’t mean them. You can verbally retaliate all you want, but stay with the training.

“That’s for the distraction right?”

“Yes. I will apologize to you before and after every training day. And after each one.Seem fair?”

She smiled. “How about a tentative,  _ yes?” _

“Fair enough,” He smiled at her.

“Ok, some ground rules. You can say  _ stop _ whenever you want, when you need a rest or whatever. If you say it and touch my forehead, it doesn’t count. No hour off. Think of  _ stop _ as your safe word. Always works. I stop immediately. If I think you are about to collapse I will steady you or help you to the ground. Seem fair?”

She smiled at him and nodded.

“So what we are going to do is a variation of what’s called in Wing Chun  _ Sticking Hands _ . We’ll actually be doing the Bruce Lee version of it, called Chi Sao. It lets you determine an opponents force, so if you are actually grabbed you can use it against them.”

“It’s a very good energy exercise for close quarters. You will constantly be pressing forward looking for an empty space to move through. Now if you look up Youtube videos you’ll see they they hold their arms out touching wrists, rock side to side for a few times and then someone makes a move.  We are going to do it a bit differently, I want you to learn the flow, the grace, and to me it’s much more effective, and you’ll see this in a bit.”

“Hold out you hands, one palm down the other palm up. Mike touched his palms to hers. "With the hand that’s touching my palm, go ahead and slowly move to touch my forehead with your index finger.”

As Jane lifted her hand towards his face, he moved his hand with hers almost touching her palm the whole distance, when she curled her hand to use her forefinger in an attempt to touch him. He curved his hand up and wedged hers gently out of the way and she ended up with her finger pointing to the right of his head over his shoulder.

Her eyes went wide. “It’s like you didn’t put any effort into that at all!”

“Correct, I used  _ your _ energy against you. Ok, I’ll try to touch your forehead, you do the same.”

As soon as Mike moved his hand, she grabbed it. “Gotcha!”

“My fault. Two things wrong here. And I should have explained them first. You aren’t allowed to grab, the reason for that is simple, now that hand becomes useless as it’s tied up holding my hand or arm. So no trapping my arm between  _ your _ arms, wrists, or hands. That makes both of your arms useless.”

“Second thing, while yes, you stopped my hand, but you didn’t use your other hand to touch my forehead. Remember in old swashbuckler movies, the hero could take his sword swirl it around the other guys sword and fling that guy’s sword away? It’s something like that.”

Jane got the hang of it very quickly, and her and Mike where constantly moving their hands in a gentle flow of motion pushing each other’s out of the way. Neither had touched the other yet, Mike wasn’t trying, wanting her to get used to the flowing motion.

“Stop.” Jane said panting after ten minutes. “I need to take this sweater off.”

“It doesn’t take long to heat up does it?”

“We aren’t really doing anything why am I starting to sweat?”

“Oooh, Jane. Girls don’t sweat, they  _ perspire.”  _ He grinned at her.

“Maybe, but I’m sweating my ass off.”

“You are holding your arms out in front of you, everyone can do it for a minute or so, but doing it longer and using pressure, or muscle requires upper body strength. You don’t have a lot of that yet so you are feeling the effects already. We will take it easier tomorrow because your arms and whole upper body will be screaming tomorrow morning.”

“Let’s keep going,” Jane said determined.

After another twenty minutes, Mike called out, “Stop.” He looked away

“Why do you want to stop? You aren’t even breaking a sweat.” She said.

“You are though. You are  _ really _ sweating.”

“I’m ok with that.” She said through her panting.

“Um, uh, yeah, but I think for these you will need to wear a sports bra.”

Mike could tell she looked down at herself.”

“Oh, my God. Mike I’m sorry, I’m surprised I didn’t poke your eyes out.”

Mike wanted to chuckle but he needed to keep it respectful between them.

“It’s ok. I can um, ignore… uh, them if you want to continue.”

  
  


XXXXX

“Tell me the truth Mike. You are holding back right?” Jane asked him. She thought her flow had improved a lot over the hours, but she had made mistakes that she was sure he knew about but hadn’t taken advantage of.

“Yes, I am. I wanted you to learn the flow first, I tried different things, and even though you were awkward you were able to redirect my hand using my own energy. You are a very fast learner. Now that you know all the basic moves, we are going to talk to each other.”

“Ok, what do we talk about.”

“We can tell each other stories about our life, or our experiences, it can be as personal as you want. Just know that I will use personal stuff against you for a distraction.”

“Noted.” Jane said.

They continued their training, their hands flowing against each other's. To Jane it looked like a combination between ballet and Kung-Fu. But they never hit or even touched each other.

“So,” Mike said. “Tell me about that asshole Jason Snortiass.”

Jane paused. Mike touched her forehead. The first official touch. The sensation was electric, just like last time.  _ Is it going to be like this every time he touches me? God I hope so. I may make mistakes on purpose.  _ _ But she was pissed off right now. So pissed off that she didn't think there's be a next time. _

“Stop and fuck off.” She smiled brightly. “Thank you Mr. Wheeler for a full day of training. Your services will no longer be required.”

He gave her a deadpan expression.

“I know why you said that. To distract me. I’m  _ not _ stupid. Personal shit is off limits.” She lowered her hands and started to walk away.

Mike said from behind her.

“The guy who attacks you may call you a stupid bitch. It’s personal, you going to walk away from him? Or drive your knee into his nuts. Personal shit is so not off limits”

She stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t let what he said get to her. She turned around and went back to stand in front of him.

“I get it.”

“Sorry Jane.”

“That’s  _ Miss _ Ives to you.”

Mike nodded, “Sorry Miss Ives.” Jane could see that when he said it, he was embarrassed but that he actually meant it.

“So I can say shit to your face?” She challenged.

“If you think it will distract me. Sure. Fair warning. I have been called, and told a lot of things. You are unlikely to shock me enough to distract me.”

“Ok let’s go.”

Within seconds they were back into the rhythm of Sticking Hands. “So nothing will distract you frogface?”

Mike closed his eyes.  _ He’s heard that before El thought. He’s been bullied by that before. El felt like shit. She never insulted people. She felt bad trying to get back at him. The worse part of this is, his eyes are closed. That’s how much it stung him. But he’s  _ still _ keeping the flow! How is he doing that? He was very good at it.” _

“Stop,” she said her voice wavered. She put her hands to her face and cried. “I’m sorry Mike. I didn’t mean that. I think you are cute… I would never… I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok Miss Ives. Much worse things have been said to me. It maybe hurt a little more because I thought we were getting along, but it’s ok. Really it is. I'm the trainer you are the student client”

“Really, it’s not ok. Call me Jane. That’s really not me… I don't hate. I’ll try not to be the over-privileged child movie star that has tantrums… Do you forgive me?”

“Nothing to forgive. You tried to distract me that’s all. I know you didn’t mean it to be personal.

_ Except i did when I said it. _ El thought.

Her next thought wasn’t totally unexpected.

_ I think I like Mike Wheeler. _

_ A  _ lot.


	3. The Nasty STuff

**** El was waiting for him in her pajama’s the next morning before sunrise. He showed up with a London Fog style raincoat.

“You are over-dressed,” she smirked at him.

“Am I really?” He took off his raincoat. He was wearing his pajamas also.

Her eyes went wide. “How did you know I was going to be wearing my pajamas?”

“You were going to tell me to I had to wear them too, but this time you would let me change in the trailer while you waited outside.”

Her jaw dropped.  _ That’s  _ exactly _ what I was going to do!  _ She thought.

“Will you be teaching me the Jedi mind tricks too?” She was still smirking.

“When you know you’re opponent well enough it will seem like you can. Thanks for appealing to my nerdy Star Wars nature”

“I hate to think I was that transparent. You had nerd written all over you.”

“Not to anybody else, you aren’t my first starlet I’ve trained. And I guess you know a nerd when you see. one.” 

“I want to apologize again for my insult yesterday.” 

“Unnecessary. But thanks, I’ll take it. Sometime today you’ll regret you apologized.

El couldn’t think of anything he could say that would make her regret it. She had struck a nerve with him. She’d feel like crap for a long time thinking about it.

Mike turned on his equipment so their conversation couldn’t be listened to.

“I should have let you put on something more substantial for a top yesterday.” Their hands flowed together in an hand ballet that was mezmerizing to her, she tried not to concentrate too much on it.

“Oh? Why.”

“I’m afraid that your nipples are the star of a few web pages.” He said keeping the flow.

“Ha! You almost got me.” She’d been expecting some kind of distraction, but she recovered quickly.

“I’m not kidding, I can send you the links” 

She faltered but was able to parry his index finger in the last second. “I told you before it goes with the territory.”

“So I take it the bathing suit photo goes with the territory also?” The flow was smooth.

“What bathing suit photo?” Her mind was racing, when was the last time she was at a pool or the beach?

“The one that clearly shows the outline of your pussy.”

She dropped her hands shocked. Her eyes wide and her mouth open.

He touched her forehead.

“Ok,  _ this _ time you can go fuck yourself. Buh bye, asshole.”

“Sorry.” He said looking down. 

She stomped off to go complain to her producers and director to dump this idiot. He did  _ not _ get to talk to her like that.

She didn’t even bother to look behind her to see if he was packing up his shit so he could get the fuck out of her life.  _ Fucking asshole.  _ She thought.

XXXXX

Her producers told her otherwise.

“Well at least have our lawyers send him a cease and desist order for that shit. It’s inappropriate.”

“Are you going send a lawyers letter to the guy who’s call you a bitch, or worse before he attacks you?”

“Mike told you to say that? Didn’t he?”

“Mike? Yes, Mr. Wheeler did. If you ever came down here to get him shitcanned. This is the second day of training, he got to you that easily? We have some tough shooting scenes, scenes that  _ you _ wrote, if you are going to give up that easily...”

“Fine. Don’t bother with catering for me today, I’m going to be eating crow for the rest of the day.”

On a hunch she walked back to the hill behind her trailer. Mike was sitting there, cross legged. Staring off to wear the sun would be if it weren’t for the storm clouds rolling in.

She stood behind him. “Is there really a photo of me out there… showing that?”

“Probably.”

She was getting pissed off again, “What do you mean  _ probably? _ ”

“Miss Ives, you are a fast tracking up and coming big celebrity. You are being followed everywhere. These guys use $3000 telephoto lenses. I wouldn’t put it past them. They’d probably airbrush in what they wanted. Then wait for you to sue and retract it months later.”

They immediately went back into their flow of hands.

“If they airbrush it, I hope they give me a tight one.”

“At tight one?” Mike was concentrating on speeding up their movements.

“Pussy. A tight pussy. Guys love a tight pussy when they are fucking it.”

This time it was Mike that faltered and El was almost able to touch him. He looked horribly embarrassed, but he was  _ still _ able to counter her moves.

“I’m really sorry about that Miss Ives. I only meant it to distract you.”

“I get it Mike, obviously I’m too easily offended by this stuff. I need a tougher skin. Please call me Jane.”

“I’m finding it hard to keep track of what to call you.”

“We’re the same age Mike, call me Jane… I may call you asshole, apparently. But it’s not personal… ok it is. But I’m sorry in advance. You were able to get under my skin too easily.”

“You don’t look like a Jane to me.” Mike said matter-of-factly.

“Oh? What name do I like?” El kept the flow going.

“I haven’t really thought about it. Just that  _ Jane _ doesn’t feel right. To me you are more of an Eleanor or Ellen, but obviously El for short.”

El stopped her flow of hands at the exact same time as a bright flash of lightning and Mike touched her forehead.

“Ok, you might think that shouldn’t have counted but it does. External or environmental influences can affect your situation. We train an hour harder now.”

_ There’s no way he could have known my name. I pay a lot of money to keep that secret. _

“A little rain won’t bother us.”

“I don’t like storms.”

“You’re safe.” Mike said as a loud crack that made him cringe. He looked at Jane to see if she was alright, and saw the tears streaming down her face.

“Ok, you really don’t like storms. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” He put his raincoat over her, and gathered up his things. This raincoat is stormproof, I’ll walk you to your trailer to make sure you get in ok.

The storm rolled in fast, the thunder and lightning becoming more and more frequent.

They were able to get to her trailer before the rain started. A very loud crack that rattled the entire trailer. 

Mike could see that Jane was almost catatonic. “Are you going to be ok?”

“No.” she said in a small voice, “will you stay with me?”

Mike didn’t think it was a good idea, but then the power went out. With the exception of the rain and wind, all he could hear was her soft crying.

Using cushions from the bench chairs at the table, and blankets from her bed, he made a quick blanket fort and guided her inside. He put another blanket around the two of them and sat very close to her. She scooted up close to him and put her head on his shoulder.

Mike didn’t know what was going on but this girl was genuinely scared. He put his arm around her. Not part of his contract but Mike shrugged mentally, if he could help calm her down he would.

“My name is Eleven.”

“So it  _ is _ El for short.”

“Yes. You can call me El.”

“Um, you say that now, but you may change your mind again on our next day of training.”

“No Mike. Please call me El.”

“Uh, Ok El. um, geez I hate to say this but I’m not going to go any easier on you for the next time we train. And you still owe me for an hour of training.”

“I would expect you to keep your promise to me. A contract is a legal promise, but to me it’s still a promise. And you promised to train me.”

“When you put it that way, yes I did promise to train you.” Mike said gently.

“And you always keep your promises?” She asked.

“I  _ always _ keep my promises.”


	4. Broken Promise?

**** El woke up the next morning, her arms were hugging Mike’s waist and her head was on his shoulder. She could feel the dried tears on her face. 

_ He stayed with me all night! _

Her stirring woke him up. He clamped his hand over his mouth. “I think I’ve been breathing on you all night. I’m surprised you haven’t thrown up. I have awful morning breath.”

She looked at him, her faces inches away. “I didn’t notice.” Morning breath or not, if he wanted to kiss her right now, she would have been fine with it. Up close she could see pale freckles on even paler skin. That’s when the butterflies started.

“Are we training today? I believe I owe you two hours of harder training. If you are going to make me a Jedi master we should get to it.”

The smile he gave her turned her knees to rubber. She didn’t dare try to stand up, although she had enough butterflies she was sure she could float enough to stand on two feet.

“That’s the spirit. We’ll go out right now. No shower. Attackers don’t wait for you to have a shower.”

“I want to work harder today so I can take a break from the training tomorrow. It’s my birthday. I think there may be a party planned for me.”

“Was this party planned before or after I was hired?”

“After.” El hung her head, she knew what was coming.

“Then. No. Attackers don’t care if it’s your birthday.”

_ Prick.  _ Her butterflies were gone now.

She stomped out of the trailer and headed to the hill they had been practicing on.

He followed silently, they set up, and immediately found the flow with their hands. El saw a little bit of a smile on his face, he was pleased that her flow had become this graceful in such a short time.

She wanted to try harder to distract him. “Will you take me out for my  _ birthday  _ tomorrow?” She wanted to let him know she didn’t appreciate not having the day off.

“No.” 

He didn’t even blink at the offer.

“What about any other day? Do you want to go out on a date?”

“Definitely. No.”

_ Ouch! That sounded final. I don’t think he has any interest in me at all. But he was so nice to me during the storm! _

“Am I that much of a bitch?”

“I’ve trained worse, if it makes you feel any better you are more unpredictable. That’s a good thing.”

El was getting angry. He was giving her nothing, she increased the force of her movements but he countered with equal force.

“So you won’t go out with me at all?” She was unable to keep the hope out of her voice.

That was the point where Mike went to the next level. His movements sped up and he touched her forehead. She couldn’t say for sure she even saw his hand move.

They resumed and he did it again. And again. And again. He was doing it on purpose. She now had hard training hours for a day. Tomorrow, she knew it was punishment for tomorrow. What was worse was that he did it with his eyes closed.

“So, I’m curious,” El said . “When was the last time your girlfriend let you finger her?”

“Stop.” He put his hands down.

She was going to touch his forehead but it would have been for spite.

Mike packed up his gear and walked away.

El was stunned. He just walked away without saying anything. She hadn't said anything she thought was out of bounds, considering what he'd said a week ago. She felt sad. Obviously he loved a girl so much he couldn’t take any insults about her. Or he was too sensitive about it. She’d never had a chance. Or she just blew any chance.

Like he did the day she walked away, she sat cross-legged facing the sun.

Waiting.

XXXXX

  
  


Mike hadn’t come back the day before so this morning, El waited for him in her tracksuit outside her trailer door. When she saw the sun come up she knew he wasn’t going to show.

She didn’t want to let her disappointment get to her at not being able to see him.  _ On my birthday. He’s not even going to say happy birthday to me. _

She went to the area where the producers and director were filming B-roll, AD’s must be doing the same thing elsewhere.

The director was pointing something out in the script and looked up to see her, “Oh, hey Jane. You come by to see how the sausage is being made on your movie?” He chuckled.

“No, Mike, uh, Mr. Wheeler didn’t show up today, just wondering if something came up or he was sick or something.”

“He didn’t tell you?

“Tell me what?”

“He quit, returned his uncashed cheque, said he could recommend someone who was good if you wanted to continue.” The director shrugged, “Up to you Jane. Oh, Happy Sweet sixteen, by the way.”

“Thanks.” El smiled and then ran back to her trailer, crawled into the blanket fort that she’d left up, and cried.

_ You’re acting like a schoolgirl, or a spoiled brat! _

_ But what I said was just meant to distract him! _

_ What if he had just recently broken up with someone he really loved? Or what if he didn’t even  _ have _ a girlfriend and was lonely. Some rich kid movie star makes makes fun of asking him out, and he realizes just how lonely he is? On top of that he knows you aren’t even serious. Eleven, did you even  _ think _ of his feelings? No. You didn’t. _

El felt like a piece of shit. This wasn’t her. She was a better person than that. At least she liked to think so.  _ Aren’t I? _

_ I’m going to text him and pretend I don’t know. _

[Jane: U R l8 for training :) ]

She waited a full hour before she got:

[Mike: No I’m not.]

[Jane: Ok, well r u coming by at all today? I opened my day for u.]

[Mike: No.]

[Jane: Can I call you? Talk to you voice?]

[Mike: No]

[Jane: Are you breaking you’re promise to me?]

[Mike: That was a contract. I returned the money. Promise is null and void.]

[Jane: ::sad emoji:: You are breaking your promise to me Mike]

She received nothing back. She waited a week.

Nothing.

XXXXX

  
  


Late Friday night El was making changes to the shooting script. She knew it was going to change some of the shots that were already blocked and storyboarded, but she didn’t care, she was trying to push back the shooting schedule.

She was circling sections in red when she heard a soft knock on her trailer door.

She got up and cautiously went to the door to listen.

“I  _ always _ keep my promises.”

El thought her smile would tear at her cheeks it was so wide. Maybe more enthusiastically than she should have, she flung the door open.

“Mike!”

“You owe me for eight hours of hard training.” There was no smile on his face. He was serious.

“Starting right now.”

El had been filming all day, and felt grubby. She needed a shower in the worst way. There was no way in hell she was going to tell Mike that, though. She stepped out of her trailer and said, “Let’s go.”

They trudged up the hill, there was a chill in the air that the breeze didn’t amplified, but she knew that in a few minutes she’d be grateful for it.

“We train faster now.” Mike said.

“Can I ask you a technical question?”

“Yes.”

She hated to remind him of why his eyes were closed, but she asked anyway, “How were you able to do it with your eyes closed. And fast?”

“You can feel my hands and wrist right now?”

“Yes?”

“You keep constant contact. It’s called sticking hands, you need to be able to touch your opponents hands so you can redirect his energy. That’s all I did. If I felt you push, I just redirected your extra force to move your hands away.”

“Ok.” El wasn’t convinced and it must have carried in her voice.

“Try it.”

“I don’t think I’m ready.”

“Try it.”

El closed her eyes, and surprised herself, she was able to do exactly what Mike had described, and their hands were flowing at a faster pace.

She opened her eyes and he was smiling at her. She was going to use this opportunity now that his attitude was less… severe.

“Can we talk about the 800 pound gorilla on the hill?”

“No.”

“You don’t want to be honest with me.”

Mike was silent. He closed his eyes again.

_ Whatever it is, must really hurt.  _ Her heart hammered in her chest. She could hear him take a big breath.  _ This is it! He’s going to tell me. _

“To answer your question, yes, I’d like to take you out on a date. But I’m really better off not doing that. Sorry, that’s as honest as I can be.”

“So you want to take me out on a date, but you won’t, is that it? Professional reasons?”

“I’m willing to waive professional reasons for personal. I shouldn't, but I'd be willing. But it’s personal that prevents me.”

“Can I ask why? You can be honest with me. I won’t go all superstar-bitchy on you.” She tried to keep her smile light, but she bit her lip, she was scared of what he might say.

“You went out for Jason for what? Seven months? That won’t work.”

She still kept the flow going.

“Why?” She said her voice barely above a whisper.

“Because I don’t want to be with you for seven months. I want to be with you forever.”

At first El thought he was trying a new tactic and her hands kept a smooth flow she would not be distracted at something that was meant to be personal, she had her eyes closed so she couldn’t see the expression on his face.

“I want to be with you forever because I love you.”

El’s eyes snapped open as he lowered his hands, she was waiting for him to say  _ stop _ . He didn't. He looked like he was waiting for her to touch his forehead.

She didn't. Instead she raised herself up on her toes to touch his face for the first time since the day they started their training.

She kissed him and sighed against his lips.

“Ok, forever then.” 

  
  



	5. The Show Must Go On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had written two different endings I didn't like. This is my third attempt and I like it a lot better even though it's shorter.

More than eleven months later. The producer went to the set to talk to the director.

“I’m getting pressure from the studio. They say we have to start filming before the end of the month. You want to tell Jane or should I?” The producer asked the director.

“We’ll both do it.”

They walked to the back lot, and to the hill where they knew Jane was being trained by Mike Wheeler.

“Does it look like they are doing some kind of weird Kung Fu up there?”

They saw what looked like Jane trying to punch Mike Wheeler in the face, and vice versa. Their hands were moving so fast in a fluid motion it was hard to tell.

And they were both blindfolded.

XXXXX

“This would be my director.” El said to Mike.

“And your producer.” Mike said back.

“How could you guys possibly know?”

“Footsteps,” Both El and Mike said at the same time.

“Jane? Do you feel like you are ready? The studio wants us to start filming soon.”

“We hired Mi-Mr. Wheeler to teach me a martial arts discipline, and I think I know enough for filming.”

“Actually we hired Mr. Wheeler to teach you three things.?”

“Three?”

“Yes, can you guess what they are?”

El thought for a few seconds and then smiled. “Well, a martial arts obviously, and how to fight and survive as a blind person when you are a sighted… and he taught me humility. 

“Yes.” The producer and director said together.

“You guys are smiling. So I guess you are happy with the results.”

“Ok, that’s incredible, how did you know we were smiling?”

“Mike is a very good teacher,  _ yes _ sounds different when you are smiling. He also taught me something else. Entirely unexpected.”

“Oh?” The director said.

“Mike taught me how to love. He took a stuck up, difficult child celebrity with a superiority complex and in a few months gave her the gift of humility and love.”

The producer and the director were silent.

“I’m sorry I was hard to work with guys, I know this is my project but I shouldn’t have acted the way I was. I’m amazed you even hung around and didn’t throw up your hands and quit.”

“We believed in your project.” The producer said. 

“Can Mike stay on as a consultant for the choreographer?”

“Uh, yeah, the choreographer quit when he found out you were being trained by Mr. Wheeler.”

“Mr. Wheeler do you think you can choreograph those scenes?”

“I will consult, El, uh, Jane is good enough to choreograph those herself.”

“Does that work for you Jane?”

El had a big smile on her face. “Ok, I think that will be fun to do.”

“First scene is blocked and lit, if you want to try it today?”

“I’m anxious to get going.” El said, her project was finally a reality.

XXXXX

With the flow of their movements still fast and fluid, El said, “Tell me the truth Mike, are you trying very hard to touch me?”

“Yes, and you are really good El. It’s why we are blindfolded, moving faster, and using more force. I thought I could find a weak area in your training. I can’t. I think you are at least as good as I am.”

El smiled.

“Hmmm, I think I’ll let you touch me.” She didn’t slow her movements.

“But later tonight, in my trailer.”


End file.
